Would you say Ron Guidry's 25-3 (1.74 era ) season was the best season a pitcher ever had?

Question

If not who had a better season?

Answer 1

No one had a better season than Ron Guidry had in 1978. Not only did he put up those gaudy numbers, but he went on to win the World Series.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Playing for the New York Yankees is a promotion to an elite level of baseball, where only the TRULY GREAT can succeed.

The fact that Guidry had that season under the brightest lights in the World puts him head and shoulders above the rest.

Yankees rule!!!!!

DE-REK!!! JE-TER!!!
for president

Answer 2

Yankee 23 "hit the nail on the head"....this season was in 1978 when the Yankees were at one time something like 16 games behind......during the last month or so they were 13 1/2 games behind and without Guidry the Yankees would not have had a chance.....they not only caught the Red Sox...but the Red Sox had to win something like the last 7 or 8 games just to get into the one game playoff (Bucky Dent game).....the Sox blew that lead and the final game with Rice in the lineup....they certainly would have blow it without him....so where is the MVP season that earned him the MVP......Guidry was the man and because of this season and the significance it played is by far the greatest season ever....I would not put Ron in the Koufax or Gibson category.. career wise......but yes, by far this was not only the best season but maybe the "greatest"

Answer 3

While Guidry's season was excellent, he played on a World Series Winner.

Here are two pitchers who played on horrible teams yet they shined beyond what you would expect.

The first has been mentioned already, Steve Carlton. In 1972, he won 27 games , with 300+ strikeouts, ERA 1.97 against league average of 3.59. But the most spectacular statistic, he won 45.8 percent of the games his team won.

The second is a real tragedy. He lead the league with an ERA of 2.76, 270 strikeouts, and the fewest hits per 9 Ininngs of any pitche in the league and 4 of his teammates had as more wins than he did with higher ERA's. He is Nolan Ryan of the 1987 Houston Astros.

Answer 4

In 1913 Walter Johnson had a record of 36-7 (1.14 era) and 243 strikeouts. In 1931 Lefty Grove had a record of 31-4 with a 2.06 era and 175 K's so an argument can be had there. Guidry did have an anazing year without a doubt though.

Answer 5

Sandy Koufax - Los Angeles Dodgers - 1963. Although Koufax' ERA was a whopping 1.88 in '63, he started 40 games, won 25 and lost only 5 with 306 strikeouts. He took the Dodgers to the World Series, where they defeated the NY Yankees in 4 straight games. Koufax won games 1 and 4 in that series, struck out 23, and had an ERA of 1.50 in 18 IP. He won MVP honors in that series and became the NL MVP for the season. He also won the Cy Young Award for the first of his 3 times, as well as the Triple Crown for pitchers, also the first of his 3 times (he duplicated the feat in 1965 and 1966). Koufax was the only pitcher to win the combined Cy Young Award more than once; in 1967, MLB began awarding the Cy Young Award to one player in each league. He is also one of only 2 pitchers to win the Triple Crown three times, the other being Walter Johnson in 1913,1918 and 1924.

Answer 6

IN THE MODERN ERA:

Bob Gibson '68 (22-9, 1.12 268 K), Denny McLain '68 (31-6, 1.96 280 K) and Dwight Gooden '85 (24-4, 1.53 268 K) all each had spectacular seasons.

Steve Carlton's '72 season (27-10, 1.97 310 K), though not statistically the best record-wise, was also great due to the fact his team was terrible.

Greg Maddux '94 (16-6, 1.56 156 K) and '95 (19-2, 1.63 181 K) were also great even though he's not a strikeout pitcher.

Answer 7

Denny McClain was 31-6 for the 1968 Detroit Tigers with a 1.96 ERA with 63 BB and 280 K

Answer 8

Pedro Martinez 1999.
23-4 2.07 ERA 313 strike outs, 213 IP

Pedro Martinez 2000.
18-6 1.74 ERA 284 strike outs, 217 IP

Single most dominant a pitcher has ever been.

Bob Gibson is the only pitcher who compares with Pedro at his best

"If the Lord were a pitcher, he would pitch like Pedro."
- David Segui,
1999 Seattle Mariners

Just a little extra to make the 1999 season even more impressive....

September 10, 1999

Pedro pitched perhaps the best game of his career. In the middle of the team's longest road trip against their strongest competitors, he took the mound at Yankee Stadium. He threw a complete game one-hitter, facing only one batter over the minimum. Pedro struck out the side in the 5th, 7th, and 9th innings, for a total of 17 in the game - a new career high! He fanned every Yankee who came to bat at least once. In fact, it was the first time in history that the Yankees have ever struck out 17 times in a game! The Yanks only managed to hit one fair ball after the 4th inning, and the Sox won, 3-0.

Answer 9

Gibson in 1968, any of a few years Koufax had in the early 60's, McLain in 1968, Carlton in 1972, Gooden in 1985, are all good choices above Guidry.

Answer 10

I would have to give it to Steve Carlton in 1972. He went 27 -10 in 41 starts with 30 complete games with an era of 1.97. 8 shutouts, 346 and 1/3 innings pitched. Struckout 310. What makes it really special is that his team only won 59 games. He won almost half. Amazing.
After that I think it would have been Bob Feller's 1940 (I am a biased tribe fan though).

Answer 11

I've got to throw Walter Johnson (1913) out there.
Guidry had an amazing season in 1978, but he didn't blow the league away to the extent that Johnson did.
Johnson led the league in every major category.
His ERA was 1.14 compared to a league ERA of 2.96.
He went 36-7 - the next highest win total was 23.
He had 243 strikeouts, when the next best total was 166.
Johnson also led the league in innings pitched, complete games, and shutouts. He allowed the fewest hits per 9IP and fewest walks per 9IP.